Big Pot of Comfort :: Spicy Cajun Chili with a Kick!

Spicy Cajun Chili
Spicy Cajun Chili

Chili is one of my go-to recipes when the Autumn leaves start turning colors and the weather starts getting cooler – especially on a crisp weekend night cuddled under some fuzzy blankets with me and my kitty cat watching some movies. Or with a group of friends watching everyone go crazy on college football game day. There’s nothing better than that. And, it’s an easy thing to make and dishes out a big dose of comfort. The best part is once I make a big pot, I can eat it for a few days and then throw the rest in the freezer for later (unless all my crazy friends dig in and there’s nothing left to show for it which actually makes me the happiest!)

I decided I wanted to make a spicier version of the chili I normally make and added a kick to it with some Cajun/Creole seasoning Tony Chacere’s (or you can try Emeril’s Southwest Essence) which adds an extra layer of spicy, savory flavor with green and red bell pepper and celery flavors.  I added some red pepper flakes, diced green chilies and a few tablespoons of hot sauce to the mix and used half ground chicken (you can also use ground turkey) / half ground beef and threw in some garlic, onions and black beans to make it a little healthier too. If you want to make it even more authentically Cajun, you could throw in some Andouille sausage or corn or green and red peppers for even more flavor and texture.

It’s perfect on its own, but you can cool the heat a little bit with some sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese on top. If you want it even spicier, just throw in a little extra hot sauce – I love Evil Ooze by Hotline Pepper Products (my friend Kerry Stressel makes it in Texas) and classic Tabasco hot sauce, or you can do a little milder sauce like Frank’s RedHot or Cholula) and top with extra diced chilies or sliced jalapenos. I usually serve my chili with plain crackers or corn chips, but you could also make some yummy cheesy garlic bread to serve with it instead. Cozy up and enjoy! 🙂

Spicy Cajun Chili with a Kick

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken or turkey
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning (Tony Chacere's)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 2 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 -28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 -15 ounce can tomato sauce or 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
  • 2-3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can diced green chilies, drained (or 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and diced)
  • 1 cup of corn kernels (optional)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, for garnish
  • Extra hot sauce, diced chilies or jalapeno (if desired)
  • Crackers, garlic toast or corn chips, for serving (if desired)

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute the chopped onion until soft and translucent, for about 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  2. Add the ground chicken or turkey and beef to the pot and mix with the garlic and onion, stirring with a wooden spoon to brown the meat. Continue to cook until all the meat is brown and no longer pink, for about 8-10 minutes. Drain the fat off the meat into a colander and place meat and onion-garlic mixture back into the pan.
  3. Add the Cajun-Creole seasoning and all the dry chili spices and red pepper flakes, stir and cook for another minute or so.
  4. Pour in the stock, water, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce (or chopped fresh tomatoes) and hot sauce; turn up the heat until chili starts to bubble, and lower heat to a simmer.
  5. Stir in black beans and and diced green chilies, cover and simmer for at least 45 minutes, up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. (Note: You can play with the thickness of the chili by adding additional water or stock as it simmers, but be sure to taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking if you do this.)
  7. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for garnish. Top with some extra diced chilies or jalapenos for extra zing if desired.

Notes

You can play with the desired thickness of the chili by adding additional water or stock but be sure to taste and season it to your liking if you do this.)

You can also add some fresh or canned corn to the chili while cooking.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for garnish. You can also top with some extra diced chilies or jalapenos for extra zing if desired.

Fresh cilantro or lime adds great flavors as garnish for a little bit more green.

Enjoy with a big hearty glass of red wine or a beer and some crackers, corn chips or cheesy garlic bread.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/11/spicy-cajun-chili/

Other Chili Recipes you may enjoy:

Southern Style Taco Soup

Emeril Lagasse Kickin Chili

Cooking Light Turkey and Bean Chili

White on Rice Couple Spicy Bacon Cowboy Chili

How Sweet Eats Chunky Fire Roasted Chili

The Pioneer Woman Simple Chili

Devon’s Award Winning Chili (Barefoot Contessa)

Homemade Rustic Pizzas: Chicken, Garlic, Spinach & Sundried Tomatoes :: Pepperoni, Ham, & Sauteed Veggies

Rustic Pizza

Rustic Pizza

Pizza is probably one of my most favorite things on the planet. Seriously. Who can resist that crispy crunchy crust topped with melted gooey cheese and fresh, savory baked toppings? A pizza is a creative endeavor that is only limited to your imagination. The pizza dough is like a blank canvas just waiting for the artist to paint a masterpiece on.

Speaking of dough, you can certainly take a stab at making your own – here is a basic pizza dough recipe that’s easy enough to make. If you don’t want to bother making your own and want to save time, you can use pre-made refrigerated pizza dough from the grocery store (I get mine from Fairway stores, or you can try Pillsbury pizza dough which is inexpensive and easy to use. They even have Artisan, thin and gluten-free crusts now which is kinda cool.)

I made these rustic pizzas the other day in an attempt to use up some fresh veggies, pizza dough and ingredients from my kids cooking show I taped last week – we made all kinds of fun pizza on set but i couldn’t bear to waste the leftovers!

So here’s how easy these babies are to make…I divided the pizza dough and patted out the dough on to pizza pans to make four rustic pizzas – one of them topped with sauteed garlic, spinach, olive oil, savory chicken,  sun dried tomatoes and plenty of mozzarella gooey cheese. The other one I made with sauteed bell peppers in different colors, broccoli, pepperoni, ham, tomato sauce and two gooey cheeses – mozzarella and muenster, great for melting. The trick to a great pizza in my experience is to saute your veggies in some olive oil and garlic BEFORE you put them on the pizza (the chicken too!). This gives them a deeper flavor and keeps them from drying out in the oven when you bake the pizzas. Throw them in a preheated oven on 400 degrees for about 15-17 minutes, let them cool on a baking rack for about 5 minutes, and then top them with some fresh torn basil, some extra parmesan cheese and pepper flakes and you’ve got some serious deliciousness going on.

Sauteed Chicken, Garlic, Spinach & Sundried Tomato Pizza

Chicken, Spinach, Garlic and Sundried Tomato Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

This is a tasty and healthy pizza made with sauteed garlic and spinach, red pepper flakes, sauteed chicken breast, sundried tomatoes and Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 package refrigerated pizza dough (or handmade)
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 package fresh spinach, chopped
  • 6-8 thin chicken cutlets, cut into 1" chunks
  • 1 tablespoon seasoned salt or poultry seasoning
  • Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned (thin strips)
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Divide pizza dough in half and shape into two oval or rectangular pizzas on a greased pizza pan.
  3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on to the base of each pizza dough.
  4. Heat an additional tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and saute minced garlic and red pepper flakes for about a minute.
  5. Add chopped spinach and stir. Saute together for another 3-4 minutes until spinach starts to wilt.
  6. Remove spinach garlic mixture from pan and set aside in a mixing bowl.
  7. Heat additional 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same pan, add seasonings and saute the chicken for approximately 8 minutes until golden brown. Remove pan from heat.
  8. Top pizza crusts with spinach-pepper-garlic mixture, sundried tomatoes and sauteed chicken (divided into equal portions for both pizzas).
  9. Top both pizzas with shredded mozzarella cheese and place pizza pan in oven.
  10. Bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden brown.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

Pepperoni, Ham & Sauteed Veggie Pizza

Pepperoni, Ham, & Sauteed Veggie Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

This is a healthy and hearty version of classic pizza made with sauteed garlic, bell peppers and broccoli with diced ham and pepperoni topped with gooey mozzarella and muenster cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 package refrigerated pizza dough (or handmade)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup tomato sauce or puree
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 cup pepperoni, chopped
  • 1/4 cup ham, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup Muenster cheese, torn into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Divide pizza dough in half and shape into two oval or rectangular pizzas on a greased pizza pan.
  3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and saute minced garlic for about a minute.
  4. Add diced bell peppers, chopped broccoli, salt and pepper and stir. Saute together for 5-7 minutes until vegetables get tender and soft.
  5. Remove pan from heat.
  6. In a small mixing bowl, mix together tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and garlic salt to make tomato sauce for pizzas.
  7. Top pizza crusts with tomato sauce, pepperoni, ham and sauteed vegetables (divided into equal portions for both pizzas).
  8. Top both pizzas with shredded mozzarella and muenster cheeses, sprinkle with garlic salt and place pizza pan in oven.
  9. Bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden brown.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

***Stay tuned for my new cooking show – Cooking with Color 4 Kids© airs live on Oct 26th at 9:30 am EST on cable TV in NYC!!

Cooking with Color 4 Kids© by Kristen Hess

Channels: Time Warner 34/ Cablevision 67/ RCN 82/ Verizon 42 and the Internet: Channel 1
BCAT TV Network cablecasts in all five boroughs of NYC on Verizon FIOS cable.

If you don’t live in NYC and want to watch the show live online on 10/26, please use this link and watch Channel 1:
http://bricartsmedia.org/community-media/watch-brooklyn-public-network

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE PILOT TV COOKING SHOW TAPING

Savory Sauteed Chicken and Veggie Rice

Savory Sauteed Chicken and Veggie Rice

This is a quick and healthy weeknight dish I whipped up the other day with some fresh ingredients I had on hand in the fridge. It’s got some savory and slightly spicy sauteed chicken made with olive oil, garlic and cajun seasonings (I use Tony Chacere’s Creole seasoning which is awesome). I also added a secret ingredient that I absolutely love which gives it a boost of flavor – Sazon seasoning – a type of seasoned salt found in Spanish and Latin markets (you can also find it online or in the international food section of your grocery store.) The seasoning is used on meats, fish, poultry and to add savory flavor to soups and stews. Typical ingredients include coriander, cumin, paprika, cilantro, achiote, garlic, salt. Try the Sazon by Goya Foods or you can make your own seasoning following this recipe.

Now back to my recipe. I cut up some red, yellow and green peppers and broccoli, (you could also add some corn, peas and carrots into the mix if you like), which I then sauteed with minced garlic and olive oil and tossed into the chicken and garlic mixture, served over cooked rice. For leftovers, I heated up some more garlic infused oil back in the pan and reheated the rice, then added the chicken and veggies into the pan and stirred it all together to mix all the savory flavors together into one big yummy rice bowl. It’s healthy, full of flavor and color and has a little kick to it too. Who said cooking tasty food had to be difficult? This dish absolutely ROCKS. x

Savory Sauteed Chicken & Veggie Rice

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4-6

This is a quick and easy and healthy weeknight dish made with sauteed chicken and veggies with Cajun seasonings served over cooked rice.

Ingredients

  • For the sauteed veggies:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small red pepper, diced
  • 1 small yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 small green pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • For the sauteed chicken:
  • 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
  • 2 lbs thin chicken cutlets, cut into strips or chunks
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 packet Sazon season
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • White or saffron/yellow cooked rice, for serving
  • extra red yellow and green diced peppers for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook the white or yellow rice in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions and drain, set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium and add minced garlic, cook for 1 minute.
  3. Raise heat to medium high and add bell peppers, broccoli and garlic salt; saute for about 5-7 minutes until soft. Remove from heat and set aside in a mixing bowl.
  4. Add an additional 2 tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil and heat in same saute pan for another minute.
  5. Add chicken (make sure to pat dry after rinsing to remove excess water or the chicken will steam instead of saute) to the pan, add Cajun and Sazon seasonings and saute for about 8 minutes until it starts to brown. Sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  6. Return sauteed veggies to the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low and saute the ingredients together for another few minutes.
  7. Place rice into individual serving bowls and serve chicken and veggie mixture on top of the rice.
  8. Add additional cajun seasoning or salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional red, yellow and green diced peppers if you wish (makes it prettier and more colorful!)

Notes

Chef's Note: this tastes better the next day and is awesome if you saute the chicken and veggies in a pan with the rice. Simply add a few tablespoon of oil and start reheating the rice over medium heat and then add the leftover chicken and veggie mixture, stir together and cover with a lid. Let it reheat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and serve. YUM.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/09/cajun-chicken-veggie-rice-bowl/

Savory Sauteed Chicken and Veggie Rice

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Daisy Martinez Arroz Con Pollo

Pioneer Woman’s Mexican Rice Casserole with Grilled Chicken and Avocado

Real Simple Spanish Chicken and Rice

Celebrating Memorial Day with Stoli Vodka! Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Skewers w/ Cucumber-Orange-Cilantro Salsa | Honey Orange Blossom Cocktails

Stoli Vodka

Cooking with Stoli Vodka for Memorial Day Weekend

There’s no better time than Memorial Day weekend to break out the grill and cook up some tasty BBQ to celebrate the beginning of Summer! I had the opportunity to create some recipes with Stoli Vodka for the holiday and decided to make Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Skewers with a Cucumber Orange Cilantro Salsa – a savory and light dish with tons of flavor and a hit of refreshment from the oranges and cucumbers. I used Stoli Ohranj (Orange flavor) and Stoli Sticki (Honey flavor) in both the chicken marinade and my delicious Honey Orange Blossom Cocktails.

The cocktails are made with a shot of each Stoli vodka flavor, honey, orange blossom water, vanilla extract, and organic lemon infused sparkling spring water, garnished with fresh orange slices and edible flowers. It’s light and refreshing with just a dash of honey and orange to cool your palette. It reminds me of a Creamsicle (remember those??) – the perfect treat for a hot Summer day.

I hope you enjoy the recipes and have an amazing Memorial Day weekend with family and friends..as for me, I’m hitting the beach for a dose of sunshine and R&R!

Stoli Ohranj Honey Blossom Cocktail

 

Grilled Chicken Skewers with Orange Cucumber Cilantro Salsa

Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Skewers w/ Cucumber-Orange-Cilantro Salsa

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Ingredients

  • Honey Orange Chicken:
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Stoli Ohranj vodka
  • 1 tablespoon Stoli Sticki vodka
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced fine
  • 6 chives, minced fine
  • ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ red onion, cut into large chunks
  • 1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into large chunks
  • Cucumber-Orange-Cilantro Salsa:
  • ½ large orange, chopped fine
  • ½ cucumber, diced fine
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • 6 chives, minced fine
  • 1/2 jalapeno, minced fine
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Honey Orange Chicken:
  2. Cut chicken into large chunks and set aside.
  3. Soak wooden skewers in water for at least an hour before using (or simply use metal skewers to make your life easier).
  4. Combine next 11 ingredients (orange juice through S&P) in a large mixing bowl, add chicken and let marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
  5. Remove chicken from fridge and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
  6. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
  7. Thread marinated chicken, red onion and bell peppers onto skewers (should make at least 4 large or 5 medium skewers).
  8. Grill chicken skewers about 10-12 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature should read 165 degrees), turning once.
  9. Serve with Cucumber-Orange-Cilantro and grilled pita or flatbread and Stoli Honey Orange Blossom Cocktails.
  10. Cucumber-Orange-Cilantro Salsa:
  11. In a medium mixing bowl, add diced cucumber, orange pieces, fresh cilantro, chives and diced jalapeno.
  12. Add olive oil and vinegar, and S&P to taste, mixing thoroughly.
  13. Serve on top of grilled chicken skewers or on the side.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/05/celebrating-memorial-day-with-stoli-vodka-grilled-honey-orange-chicken-skewers-w-cucumber-orange-cilantro-salsa-honey-orange-blossom-cocktails/

Cooking with Stoli Memorial Day

 

Stoli Ohranj Honey Blossom Cocktail

Stoli Honey Orange Blossom Cocktails

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 shot Stoli Ohranj vodka
  • 1 shot Stoli Sticki vodka
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Orange blossom water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 10.5 fl oz Sparkling lemon spring water
  • Orange slices, for garnish
  • Edible flowers, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add vodka, honey, orange blossom water and vanilla into a cocktail shaker and mix together with a tall spoon.
  2. Add ice and sparkling lemon spring water and close lid securely.
  3. Shake gently until mixed together.
  4. Serve in cocktail glasses over ice, garnish with orange wedges and edible flowers.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/05/celebrating-memorial-day-with-stoli-vodka-grilled-honey-orange-chicken-skewers-w-cucumber-orange-cilantro-salsa-honey-orange-blossom-cocktails/

Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Skewers with Cucumber Orange Cilantro Salsa

Stoli Sticki and Stoli Ohranj

About Stoli Vodka

Stoli Sticki has hints of honey and herb flavors, slightly sweet and floral.

Stoli Ohranj has a bright orange flavor of orange zest and varied flavors such as mandarin, kumquat and tangerine with a hint of lemon.

The two mixed together are the perfect combination for my BBQ marinade and refreshing cocktails!

Find out more about Stoli Vodka

Become a fan on Stoli’s Facebook page

Become a fan on Twitter: http://bit.ly/11deDwL

Become a fan on Pinterest: http://bit.ly/197F9PJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a sponsored post created for Stoli Vodka – I received samples of Stoli product for purposes of sampling and creating recipes and photographs for the Stoli brand. All opinions, recipes, ideas and photographs are my own, copyright © 2013 Kristen Hess/The Artful Gourmet.

Please do not share or use images without my expressed permission. If you want to share this post on social media, feel free, as long as you credit the story and recipes and photos to Kristen Hess/The Artful Gourmet and provide a link back to the original story on my website. Thanks!

Savor Stoli Responsibly. STOLICHNAYA® Premium Vodka. 40%
Alc/Vol. Distilled from grain. William Grant & Sons, Inc. New York, NY. © 2012 Spirits International, B.V

A bright, savory Spring chicken dish to celebrate the season

Prosciutto-Sage-Provolone Chicken

I love Spring. There’s nothing better than a dose of gorgeous sunshine, cherry blossoms in bloom, and the tempting promises of Summer on the way. It’s the perfect time of year to throw open the windows, do some Spring cleaning and celebrate new beginnings. I also love the bountiful selection of fresh seasonal herbs and vegetables that come along with it.

cherry blossoms

Asparagus is in its prime now, so I wanted to create a light and savory chicken dish to complement it for an easy, healthy weeknight dinner – a twist on classic Chicken Saltimbocca with the addition of some cheesy goodness and bright lemony flavor.

fresh asparagus

I picked up some fresh lemons, thin chicken breast cutlets at the market along with some Italian Prosciutto, fresh sage and Provolone cheese to stuff them with. To start, I laid out the chicken breasts in a large baking pan and layered the ingredients on top – first a slice of Prosciutto topped with a few sage leaves and thinly sliced cheese. I then folded them over and secured them with toothpicks and seared them in a pan in olive oil to get a nice golden brown crust. Once the chicken breasts were browned, I set them back in the pan, poured the juices on top and finished in the oven for about 15 minutes.

lemons

The best part of this dish is the buttery lemon wine sauce for serving. I sliced up some garlic and sautéed it in olive oil for a minute or two, then added some chicken broth, white wine and let it come to a boil, then reduced the heat and simmered it down to reduce the sauce, stirred in some lemon juice, a nob of butter and set the sauce aside for drizzling on the chicken later.

While the chicken was roasting in the oven, I blanched the asparagus for a minute or two and then tossed it with sliced garlic, olive oil and sea salt, roasting it for about 10 minutes or so until tender. So easy and soooo good!

Once the chicken and asparagus were done roasting, I served them on a plate and finished them off with the buttery lemon wine sauce. If you want to add a starch to the meal, simply cook up some orzo, pasta or  some crusty bread to go with it. You can also use Fontina cheese for a slightly different flavor, or to make it a vegetarian dish, omit the prosciutto and substitute some sautéed mushrooms or spinach and prepare the same way. Keep it light with a side salad and a lemony vinaigrette, and serve with a glass of Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris.

Here’s to Spring and the days leading up to Summer – Bon Appetit!

Prosciutto Sage Provolone Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Garlic Asparagus

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 4-6 chicken breast cutlets
  • 4-6 thin slices of Italian Prosciutto
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
  • 4-6 slices of Provolone or Fontina cheese
  • 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced plus 1 clove minced (for sauce)
  • 1 bunch of asparagus
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris)
  • juice from half a lemon, plus 1 tablespoon zest for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • lemon wedges and additional torn sage leaves for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spread out the chicken cutlets flat in a large baking dish, and season with sea salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Layer on top of each chicken breast a slice of prosciutto, two sage leaves, and a slice of provolone or fontina cheese, then fold over the chicken in half and secure with a toothpick to secure.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high and sauté chicken breasts approximately 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown.
  5. Remove the chicken and juices from pan and place back into the baking dish and roast in the oven for another 15 minutes until cooked through. You might want to baste the chicken in its juices once or twice to make sure the chicken doesn’t dry out in the oven.
  6. Meanwhile, slice 2 cloves of fresh garlic, mince 1 clove and set aside. Trim the ends off the asparagus and blanch in boiling salted water in a large pot for about 1 minute. Drain, place asparagus in a baking dish and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper and sliced garlic. Place in oven and roast for about 10-15 minutes until fork tender and slightly browned (be careful not to overcook or the asparagus will get dark and mushy – aim for tender yet crisp and green).
  7. In the same sauté pan for the chicken, heat another tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the additional clove of minced garlic for about 1 minute until lightly golden and soft. Add the chicken broth, white wine, lemon juice and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. . Let sauce reduce to about half, then add 1 tablespoon of butter, swirling in to finish the sauce.
  8. When chicken and asparagus are done roasting, plate them and top off with the lemon butter wine sauce.
  9. Garnish with lemon wedges, torn sage leaves, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a side of cooked orzo or pasta, crusty bread or a green salad with a lemon vinaigrette and a dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/05/a-bright-savory-spring-chicken-dish-to-celebrate-the-season/

Citrus Honey Soy Chicken with Toasted Almond Farro

Citrus Honey Soy Chicken with Toasted Almond Farro

Tuscan Fields, provider of organic, Italian farro, is offering a scholarship to this spring’s Eat Write Retreat food bloggers conference in Philadelphia. They sent some of their delicious samples to me to create a farro recipe for a chance to win a scholarship to the conference this year!

If farro is new to you, you’ll love discovering this ancient grain made of 100% organic semi-pearled farro. It has a mellow, nutty taste, a pleasing “al dente” texture when cooked, and offers loads of nutrients in each bite. Plus, it’s versatile enough to elevate side dishes, salads, soups and main courses to culinary excellence. You can use farro in place of white or brown rice, couscous or pasta and pair it with roasted vegetables, meats and poultry or make a fresh spring salad with farro as your whole grain base, layered with vegetables, fruit or fresh herbs tossed in a vinaigrette dressing.

I decided to create a recipe for Citrus Honey Soy Chicken with Toasted Almond Farro – made with stir-fried chicken marinated in honey, soy sauce, orange juice, garlic, sriracha hot sauce, ponzu sauce, white pepper, black and white sesame seeds, and water chestnuts topped with green onion, fresh orange slices and toasted almonds over a bed of cooked farro. The sauce has a sweet and tangy zing that pairs great with the nutty farro and toasted crunchy almonds. The fresh orange slices give it a fresh and healthy twist.

I am lovin’ this grain – and plan to come up with some other cool recipes to make with it!

Learn more about Tuscan Fields Farro

Learn more about Eat Write Retreat food bloggers conference

Citrus Honey Chicken with Toasted Almond Farro

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4

Ingredients

  • CITRUS HONEY CHICKEN
  • 1/4 cup organic wildflower honey
  • freshly squeezed juice from half of a large navel orange (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon citrus Ponzu sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha (asian hot sauce)
  • 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon black and white sesame seeds
  • White pepper, freshly ground, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 can water chestnuts, diced
  • 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into medium-size chunks
  • TOASTED ALMOND FARRO
  • 1 box Tuscan Fields Organic Farro Perlato
  • 1 orange, peeled and sectioned
  • 1/2 cup almonds, toasted
  • 2 green onion, sliced for garnish

Instructions

  1. CITRUS HONEY CHICKEN WITH TOASTED ALMOND FARRO
  2. To make the Citrus Honey marinade, add the first ten ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir together well.
  3. Add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat, then cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for up to one hour.
  4. Meanwhile, rinse farro in a colander under cold water and then cook in salted boiling water for approximately 20 minutes, drain and set aside.
  5. Toast almonds in a saute pan over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes until lightly browned.
  6. Peel and section oranges and slice the green onions.
  7. Once chicken is done marinating, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat.
  8. Add the water chestnuts and saute for a few minutes.
  9. Remove chicken pieces from marinade, shaking off extra sauce and set marinade aside (do not discard).
  10. Add chicken to the saute pan and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until chicken is no longer pink and starts to brown.
  11. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan with the chicken and water chestnuts and stir thoroughly, cook for another few minutes on medium-low heat to let the sauce thicken a little bit.
  12. To serve, make a bed of farro on to each dinner plate. Top with the chicken and water chestnut sauce mixture.
  13. Garnish with toasted almonds, sliced green onions, fresh orange slices, and additional white pepper to taste.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/04/citrus-honey-soy-chicken-with-toasted-almond-farro/

Citrus Honey Soy Chicken with Toasted Almond Farro

All photographs, copy and content on this website are copyrighted © 2010-2013 by Kristen Hess/The Artful Gourmet. Please do not use, share or distribute without expressed permission from me first. Thanks!

Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini

NYT Food Section featuring Kristen Hess

Hey guys! I was just featured in the NY Times Food Section yesterday (online and print versions) talking about Chicken French from my hometown Rochester NY!

Chicken French

Here’s a link to the article online discussing where it’s from and how it’s made, and a recipe from staff food writer Julia Moskin,  and a few quotes from me and my sister Jen who lives and works in a few Rochester restaurants!

Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini
Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini

Chicken French is an amazing dish that is popular in my hometown in Rochester, NY and on almost every menu. The Italian-American immigrants first introduced this dish in NYC and then migrated Upstate. The recipe also known as Chicken Francaise, uses lightly-floured chicken cutlets, which are then coated with a parmesan cheese and egg batter, then sauteed until golden brown. The luscious sauce is made with garlic, butter, lemon, white wine or sherry, and parsley which is served over the top of the golden brown chicken. You can serve the dish over pasta (my favorite is a linguine) or rice or a green veggie, and I decided to serve this with broccolini, a Chinese broccoli that is similar to Broccoli Rabe, and topped it with the lemon butter sauce and an extra splash of fresh lemon juice for a light and healthy dinner.

This dish has a lovely tangy, buttery flavor with the lemon, wine and garlic, and the flour coating is super light as I made it with an ultra-fine flour (Wegman’s Pan-Searing Flour, or you could use Wondra flour), and I seasoned it with salt and pepper and a hint of cayenne. If you want to use sherry instead of a white wine, this will give you a sweeter flavor to the sauce. I made my sauce with a Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which is light and fruity and gives it a nice semi-sweet tangy flavor.

Serve the chicken and broccolini with some crusty french bread or some fresh pasta (i love linguine with more lemon-butter sauce, parmesan cheese and parsley over the top!) and a glass of dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinto Grigio. Enjoy!

Chop the parsley

Mince the parsley for the egg, cheese and parsley mix.

Prep the wet and dry ingredients

Prep the wet and dry ingredients to dip the chicken in (flour first, egg-cheese-parsley mixture second).

Saute the chicken in olive oil for approx. 6 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Saute the chicken in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat for approx. 4 minutes on one side.

Flip chicken over and saute another 6 minutes until golden brown.

Flip chicken over and saute another 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside, covered in a foil tent. Discard the cooking oil except for 1 tablespoon.

Remove chicken and set aside. Saute minced garlic for 1-2 minutes.

Saute the minced garlic on medium low for about a minute until lightly browned, being careful not to burn.

Add wine, and bring to a boil.

Add the wine, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil.

Add broth and lemon juice and turn heat to high, bringing to a boil.

Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and let cook for approx. 5-7 minutes to reduce liquid by half. Stir in the cold butter and red pepper flakes (if using).

Return chicken to the pan and bring to a boil, cooking for another 5 minutes to let liquid reduce and infuse flavors in the chicken.

Return chicken to the pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 4-5 minutes to let liquid reduce further and infuse flavors in the chicken. Throw in some extra chopped parsley. Remove from heat.

IMG_3403

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Insert steamer basket with broccolini and steam covered for about 5 minutes.

Lemon Broccolini

Remove cover and let cook over boiling water for another 5 minutes or so, until broccolini is fork tender but still bright green.

Plate the chicken and broccolini and spoon the lemon-wine-garlic butter sauce over the top of both. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Plate the chicken and broccolini and spoon the lemony wine and garlic butter sauce over the top of both. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Garnish with fresh lemons and additional chopped parsley, if desired.

Enjoy with a glass of white wine and some crusty Italian bread.

Enjoy with a glass of dry or fruity white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) and some crusty Italian bread or pasta (with some of that luscious buttery-lemon-wine sauce over the top).

Bon appetit!

Bon appetit!

Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4

This is an amazing dish that is popular in my hometown in Upstate Rochester, NY. The Italian-American immigrants first introduced this dish in NYC and then migrated Upstate. The recipe stems from the French Veal Francaise or Chicken Francaise dish, which uses lightly-floured thin veal or chicken cutlets, which are then coated with a parsley-parmesan cheese-egg mixture and sauteed until golden brown.

The luscious sauce is made with garlic, butter, lemon, white wine or sherry, and parsley which is served over the top of the golden brown chicken. I decided to serve this with steamed broccolini, a Chinese broccoli that is similar to Broccoli Rabe, and then topped it with the lemon butter sauce for a fresh and healthy Sunday dinner. It has a lovely tangy and buttery flavor with the lemon, wine and garlic, and the coating is super light as I made it with an ultra-fine flour (Wegman's Pan-Searing Flour) or you could use Wondra, or a regular flour then season it with salt and pepper and a hint of cayenne.

If you want to use sherry instead of a white wine, this will also give you a sweeter flavor to the sauce. I made this with a Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which is light and fruity and gives it a nice semi-sweet tangy flavor.

Ingredients

  • CHICKEN FRENCH:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil/canola oil blend for sauteing (I used Colavita Garlic Oil Blend)
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
  • 2-3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup of superfine flour (Wegmans Pan Searing flour or Wondra)
  • LEMON BUTTER WINE SAUCE:
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine (or sherry for a sweeter flavor)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • Juice from 1 1/2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
  • Lemon wedges, for garnish
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
  • BROCCOLINI:
  • 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed
  • Lemon Butter Wine sauce (see above)
  • Fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper, for garnish

Instructions

  1. CHICKEN FRENCH:
  2. Heat oil in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cheese, salt and pepper, cayenne (if using) and fresh parsley in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Place flour in another flat bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts, then dredge each one in flour first (left hand), then egg mixture (right hand).
  6. Place chicken into the heated saute pan and cook for 4 minutes on one side. Flip chicken over and saute for another 4 minutes until golden brown.
  7. Remove from pan and set aside, covered with a foil tent.
  8. LEMON BUTTER SAUCE:
  9. In the same skillet, saute the minced garlic for 1 minute, being careful not to burn.
  10. Add the wine and bring liquid to a boil over high heat, scraping up the brown bits in the pan.
  11. Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice and red pepper flakes (if using) and let reduce by half, another 5-7 minutes.
  12. Stir in the cold butter and whisk until it melts and creates a velvety sauce and consistency.
  13. Reduce the heat, and add the cooked chicken back into the pan with the sauce, let simmer another 4-5 minutes.
  14. Place chicken on serving plate with the steamed broccolini (and/or cooked pasta) and spoon the lemon butter sauce over the top of the dish.
  15. Garnish with lemon wedges and additional chopped parsley if desired.
  16. BROCCOLINI:
  17. Steam broccolini for about 5 minutes, covered. Remove lid and steam for another 5 minutes until fork tender but still bright green.
  18. Top broccolini with Lemon Butter sauce, additional lemon, salt and pepper to taste.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/03/rochester-style-chicken-french-lemon-broccolini/

Other recipes you may enjoy:

Veal Francese

Closet Cooking’s Chicken Piccata

Martha Stewart’s Chicken Paillards in Lemon Butter Sauce

5 Holiday Appetizer Recipes and Colavita Olive Oil Holiday Giveaway!

Holiday Appetizer Recipes & Colavita Holiday Giveaway
Holiday Appetizer Recipes & Colavita Holiday Giveaway

The holidays are here, and what better way to celebrate by throwing a holiday cocktail party with friends and family? I’ve teamed up with Colavita this season to celebrate with all of you, by creating  some delicious Holiday Appetizer recipes using their World Selection and Private Selection Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Flavored Cooking Oil blends. 

Colavita Olive Oil Collection

Colavita Olive Oil Giveaway!

*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED – Congratulations to Manda Kay, the winner of our Colavita holiday giveaway! Hope you cook up lots of goodies with your EVOO & Balsamic Glace! Happy Holidays 🙂

I’ve teamed up with Colavita this holiday season and giving away some of their delicious olive oils and balsamic vinegars so you can celebrate the season by cooking up some holiday goodies of your own! The winner will receive: one (1) 3/4 liter of Colavita Private Selection Fruttato EVOO, one (1) 32 oz Roasted Garlic EVOO plus one (1) 29.5 oz bottle of their Balsamic Glace. 

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave me a comment at the end of this post telling me what your favorite Holiday Appetizer to make with olive oil is.

*For extra entries, just follow me on twitter, facebook, pinterest, google+, tumblr or sign up for my newsletter (at the top right hand side of this page) and tell me you did so in the comments section. **As an added bonus, Colavita is also offering a 25% discount to all of my readers on any purchase in their online store. Simply enter the code ‘AG25’ to receive the discount upon checkout!

**This giveaway begins on Sunday, Dec 9th and ends Sunday Dec 23rd at midnight EST, where one person will be selected by random from the comments section below.**

Colavita World Selection Olive Oils are a new collection of extra virgin olive oils exploring the tradition in countries outside of italy from estates and farms in Australia, Argentina, California, Greece, Spain and Portugal as well as other prime olive oil growing nations. Read more about a few of my favorites that I used in my recipes below!

Colavita California EVOO

 

Colavita 100% Californian EVOO

The warm climate in the “Golden State” of California fosters both grape and olive cultivation perfect for wines and olive oils. The Colavita 100% Californian EVOO is pressed from olives grown in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys of California. The mild flavor makes this oil perfect for all culinary applications. Enrich your favorite meal with a drizzle of EVOO and a glass of wine.

Read more and get it online

 

Colavita Roasted Garlic EVOO

 

Colavita Roasted Garlic EVOO

Colavita Roasted Garlic EVOO is a product originally created exclusively for BJ’s Wholesale Stores. To many it has become the “gateway product” that exposes customers to the entire Colavita family of products. It is raved about on their online store so we wanted to share it with all of you! It’s the perfect finishing oil and wonderful for enhancing garlic already present in your dish. Try it on Garlic Bread or my Homemade Pita Chips (recipe below).

Read more and get it online

 

Colavita Argentina EVOO

Colavita 100% Argentina EVOO

The Argentina EVOO was a hands-down favorite at this year’s New York Wine and Food Festival. Arbequino, Coratina and Manzanilla olive cultivars grown in the Catamarca and Mendoza regions of Argentina give this EVOO and intense, fruity aroma and taste. Pair this EVOO with soups, roasted fish, grilled vegetables and red meat for an unbeatable duo.

Read more and get it online

 

 

 

Colavita Private Selection EVOO

Colavita Private Selection Fruttato EVOO

Colavita’s Fruttato Oil has recently been inducted into the Colavita “Private Selection” line. This line was created to highlight the products which have received the honor of being marked a Colavita family favorite. It is made by cold pressing new harvest olives just before their peak ripeness. The result is a full bodied EVOO which is slightly pungent with peppery flavor notes.

Read more and get it online

 

 

 

Colavita Roasted Garlic Oil Blend

 

Colavita Roasted Garlic Oil Blend

This Colavita Premium Blend is an all-purpose cooking, frying, and salad dressing oil which combines the delicate hint of roasted garlic in a light Canola Oil and Virgin Olive Oil Blend. It is a versatile oil that is naturally low in saturated fats and has no trans fats.

Read more and get it online

 

 

 

 

 

 Holiday Appetizer Recipes

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Bites
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Bites

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Bites

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 8-10

These yummy sweet and spicy Asian Chicken bites combine honey, soy sauce, orange and Sriracha to make a fun bite-sized appetizer with a delicious glaze.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, plus 1 tsp zest
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Colavita Roasted Garlic EVOO
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon Colavita Roasted Garlic EVOO
  • Fresh ground white pepper
  • Dash of red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 tablespoon black and white sesame seeds, toasted (for garnish)
  • 1 green onion, sliced thin (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients from honey through minced garlic and place inside a large plastic freezer bag.
  2. Cut up chicken into bite-sized pieces and trim visible fat, place in bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least an hour to overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  4. Remove chicken from freezer bag, reserving marinade, and place on a greased baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, turning one time until chicken is browned nicely.
  6. Strain marinade and discard solids, and pour into a saucepan bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for about 3 minutes.
  7. Combine water and cornstarch and slowly pour into glace in saucepan. Add fresh cracked white pepper and red pepper flakes, stirring well.
  8. Turn oven up to 500 degrees.
  9. Toss chicken bites with the glaze and broil for about 5 minutes.
  10. Meanwhile, toast sesame seeds for a few minutes in a pan over medium heat and chop green onion.
  11. Serve chicken bites garnished with sesame seeds and green onions with cocktail toothpicks on a small platter or small plates.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light March 2003

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/12/5-holiday-appetizer-recipes-and-colavita-olive-oil-holiday-giveaway/

 

Caramelized Onion, Ricotta & Pancetta Tart
Caramelized Onion, Ricotta & Pancetta Tart

Caramelized Onion, Ricotta & Pancetta Tart

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Yield: 8

This is a lovely tart recipe that combines sweet and savory flavors. The caramelized onions give it a sweet flavor with a hint of fig balsamic vinegar, balanced out by creamy ricotta, nutty Gruyere cheese, fresh herbs and crispy pancetta.

Ingredients

  • 1 package pancetta (8 thin slices)
  • 3 tablespoons Colavita Fruttato EVOO
  • 2 sweet Vidalia onions, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1-1 1/2 tablespoons Fig balsamic vinegar (Tavern Direct brand)
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoons dried Fines Herbes (or 2 tablespoons fresh herbs)
  • 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1 frozen pie shell, defrosted, or homemade tart dough

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and cook pancetta until browned but not fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain fat from pan and place pancetta on paper towels to drain to the side. Once cooled, chop pancetta into small pieces.
  3. Peel onions, remove top and bottom stems and cut in half lengthwise.
  4. Slice onions thin (about 1/8" thick or desired thickness).
  5. In the same saute pan, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium high heat.
  6. Add onions and cook over medium high for about 10 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle brown sugar, salt and pepper over onions and stir well, cook another 10-20 minutes, reducing heat to medium low if onions start to brown too quickly.
  8. Continue cooking and stirring onions over medium low for another 15 minutes, add a few teaspoons of water if desired.
  9. Add the fig balsamic vinegar to the onions, turn heat down to low and let cook until they are caramelized, soft and sweet, up to an hour total.
  10. Combine the ricotta, egg yolk and Fines Herbes together in small mixing bowl.
  11. Spread the ricotta mixture over the pie shell in a 9" tart pan with removeable bottom.
  12. Sprinkle Gruyere cheese over ricotta.
  13. Top with caramelized onions and pancetta.
  14. Bake the tart in the oven for approximately 30-45 minutes until pastry and filling are golden brown, and pancetta is crispy.
  15. Let tart cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.
  16. Serve tart cut into wedges.

Notes

If you prefer to make your own tart dough rather than using a frozen pie crust, Martha Stewart has a great recipe for Flaky Tart Dough on her website at http://www.marthastewart.com/319448/flaky-tart-dough

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/12/5-holiday-appetizer-recipes-and-colavita-olive-oil-holiday-giveaway/

Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip w/ Homemade Pita Chips
Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip w/ Homemade Pita Chips

Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serving Size: 8

Hot Artichoke dip is one of my all time favorite holiday dip recipes, and this one is extra special, using Colavita's California EVOO, lemon zest and minced garlic with lots of gooey cheese. Instead of using mayonnaise, I substitute a light sour cream to cut some of the fat and calories. Serve with my homemade baked pita chips or crackers.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Colavita California extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 package frozen artichokes, defrosted
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
  • Garlic salt with parsley (to taste)
  • Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup shredded light monterey jack cheese, plus 1/2 cup for topping
  • 1/2 cup light sour cream
  • dash of cayenne (optional)
  • dash of paprika (for garnish)
  • 1 green onion, sliced thin (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add artichokes and minced garlic, saute about 5-7 minutes until heated through.
  2. Add lemon juice, zest, garlic salt and pepper, mix well and cook another few minutes, set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, add shredded cheeses and sour cream together in a mixing bowl.
  4. Add sauteed artichokes, garlic and lemon to cheese and sour cream.
  5. Sprinkle with a dash of cayenne (if desired), mix well and transfer to a casserole dish.
  6. Sprinkle additional monterey jack cheese over the top and bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted on top.
  7. Let cool a few minutes, sprinkle with paprika and green onions. Serve with homemade baked pita chips (recipe follows), crackers or crudites.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/12/5-holiday-appetizer-recipes-and-colavita-olive-oil-holiday-giveaway/

Baked Garlic Pita Chips

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Makes 36 pita chips

Making homemade pita chips is super easy and way better than buying the storebought kind for your holiday party. Mine are made with whole wheat pita bread, drizzled with EVOO, and sprinkled with garlic salt and cumin for some extra flavor. So delicious and crispy straight out of the oven and so addicting you'll never buy them again! Serve with Hot Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip or any of your other favorite party dips.

Ingredients

  • 6 whole wheat pita rounds
  • 2 tablespoons Colavita California EVOO
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut pita rounds into triangles (6 wedges per pita).
  3. Lay out pita wedges on a baking sheet and brush each wedge with olive oil.
  4. Sprinkle garlic salt and cumin on top.
  5. Flip over pita wedges, repeat coating with oil, salt and cumin.
  6. Place baking sheet(s) in oven and cook pita wedges for about 15 minutes (checking to make sure they don't burn!)
  7. Let cool, and serve with Hot Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/12/5-holiday-appetizer-recipes-and-colavita-olive-oil-holiday-giveaway/

Sage, Lemon & Garlic Cocktail Meatballs
Sage, Lemon & Garlic Cocktail Meatballs

Sage, Lemon & Garlic Cocktail Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 18 medium or 36 small meatballs

Serving Size: 2-4 per person

Everyone loves cocktail meatballs at holiday parties! These lovelies have a hint of lemon and sage and are light and fluffy, made with ground pork or chicken. They are first browned on the stovetop and then finished in the oven until golden brown. They're delicious alone, or dipped in a hot pepper jelly (Williams-Sonoma brand is great), balsamic pear jam (there's one by Academia Barilla that is to die for) or simply dipped in balsamic vinegar glace.

Ingredients

  • 3 slices of bread, crusts removed
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 pound ground pork or chicken
  • 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped fine
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup onion, minced
  • zest and juice from half a lemon
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Colavita Argentina EVOO
  • 1 tablespoon Colavita Roasted Garlic Cooking Oil Blend
  • Red Pepper jelly, for dipping (Williams Sonoma brand)
  • Balsamic Pear jam, for dipping (Academia Barilla brand)
  • Colavita Balsamic Glace, for dipping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Remove crusts from bread and tear into small pieces in a large mixing bowl, add milk and let soak for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Mix in ground pork or chicken, sage, garlic, onion, lemon juice and zest, cheese, pepper flakes, egg, salt and pepper with soaked bread crumbs with your hands in a claw-like motion to keep meatballs light and fluffy.
  4. Roll meat mixture into small to medium size meatballs (small makes approximately 36, medium makes approximately 18).
  5. Heat olive oils in a large saute pan over medium heat (if not using cooking oil blend, mix EVOO with a tablespoon of butter to avoid temperature from getting too high and splattering).
  6. Cook meatballs in batches in the oil for about 5 minutes each batch until meatballs are browned on all sides, drain on paper towels.
  7. Once all meatballs are browned, place them on a large rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray to avoid sticking.
  8. Bake in the oven for approximately another 15 minutes until cooked through and to keep warm.
  9. Top with additional garlic salt (if desired), fresh chopped sage, and serve with red pepper jelly and balsamic pear jam, and Colavita Balsamic Glace for dipping.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/12/5-holiday-appetizer-recipes-and-colavita-olive-oil-holiday-giveaway/

Crunchy Zucchini Sticks w/ Yogurt Dill Sauce
Crunchy Zucchini Sticks w/ Yogurt Dill Sauce

Crunchy Zucchini Sticks w/ Yogurt Dill Sauce

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 8-10

These zucchini sticks are a great appetizer for any holiday party. They have a light crunchy coating of Japanese Panko seasoned bread crumbs and are finished with a splash of lemon and sprinkling of sea salt. They go perfect with the cool and creamy yogurt dill sauce or even a ranch dressing for dipping.

Ingredients

  • CRUNCHY ZUCCHINI STICKS
  • Colavita Roasted Garlic Cooking Oil Blend
  • 4 medium zucchini, cut into half, into long strips
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cups Panko Japanese-style seasoned breadcrumbs
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • Sea salt, for sprinkling, to taste
  • Lemon wedges, for garnish
  • Fresh minced dill, for garnish
  • YOGURT DILL SAUCE
  • 1 cup of Greek yogurt
  • 2-3 tablespoon minced dill
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. CRUNCHY ZUCCHINI STICKS
  2. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large deep saute pan, about 2 inches high.
  3. Trim ends off zucchini, cut in half and then in half again lengthwise.
  4. Cut zucchini into large strips about 1/2 an inch thick.
  5. Pour the flour and Panko breadcrumbs into one large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
  7. Dip zucchini sticks in egg, shaking off excess, then dip in bowl to coat with flour and breadcrumbs.
  8. Place coated zucchini on a baking sheet.
  9. Fry in batches until golden brown, draining excess oil on another baking sheet lined with paper towels.
  10. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of zucchini and sprinkle with fresh dill and additional sea salt to taste.
  11. YOGURT DILL SAUCE
  12. In a medium bowl, mix together greek yogurt, dill, salt and pepper to taste.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/12/5-holiday-appetizer-recipes-and-colavita-olive-oil-holiday-giveaway/

*This is a sponsored post by Colavita, but as usual, all opinions expressed are my own. I received 5 bottles of Colavita olive oil samples to create the recipes for this article and holiday promotion. Winners of the giveaway will receive the prizes directly from Colavita by mail and should expect 2-3 weeks delivery time due to the holidays. 

**All photographs, recipes and copy are copyrighted by Kristen Hess/The Artful Gourmet 2012 and cannot be republished without my permission or credit on the reposted original material from this article or website.

Pot of Gold: Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup
Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup

I love coming home for the holidays, not only to spend some quality time with family and friends but for some of Mom’s cooking! With all this crazy weather lately I haven’t been feeling so hot and of course, just in time for Thanksgiving. I flew home to stay with my parents earlier this week, and Mom had the perfect remedy – a big ol’ pot of her homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. I could smell the delicious golden aroma brewing on the stovetop the second I walked in the door and  knew I was home.

My Grandmother used to make this recipe with a secret ingredient called George Washington Golden Seasoning, a powdered chicken soup base with chicken fat and seasonings that gives an extra savory, golden chicken-y flavor to the soup broth, developed by a distant relative of George Washington. I’m not sure if this is even around anymore, but my Mom uses Lisa Marie chicken base (a brand from Syracuse, NY). If you can’t find this brand, use a few tablespoons of any quality chicken bouillon or chicken soup base to bump up the flavor of the chicken broth – you can find plenty of these at your grocery store or at Amazon online. Make sure to add plenty of fresh veggies (carrots, celery and onion) and let the soup simmer to it’s shimmering, golden delicious state for at least a few hours to let the flavors meld.

One tip: we always keep the egg noodles and cooked, pulled chicken separate from the broth to avoid the broth getting cloudy – this also ensures the noodles don’t get soggy and you are left with an absolute pure and delicious golden broth that will warm your bones and lift your spirits.

All I can say is three words: Pot. Of. Gold.

A Pot of Gold: Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 6 quarts

Ingredients

  • 1 (5-6 pound) whole stewing chicken
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoons Chicken Soup Base seasoning (or quality chicken bouillon)
  • 4 carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
  • 4 stalks celery, halved length-wise, sliced thin
  • 2 small onion, diced
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
  • 1 package dried wide egg noodles

Instructions

  1. Wash and drain chicken, put in large soup kettle. Cover with water, heat to a boil.
  2. Remove scum before complete boiling starts and add seasonings.
  3. Let simmer until chicken is half cooked, about 1 hour.
  4. Add vegetables and cook until tender, another 2 hours.
  5. Remove chicken and take all white and dark meat off the bone, set aside in a separate bowl.
  6. Boil noodles separately according to package directions and drain.
  7. Ladle soup broth over chicken and noodles, garnish with fresh parsley and additional salt and pepper, to taste.
  8. Serve with crackers or fresh crusty bread.

Notes

This recipe makes a double batch which serves 8-10. Cut recipe in half for a smaller crowd.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/11/pot-of-gold-moms-chicken-noodle-soup/

Other Chicken Soup recipes you may enjoy:

Pioneer Woman’s Chunky Chicken Soup

How Sweet Eats Healthy Harvest Soup

Kalyn’s Kitchen Chicken Barley Soup

Tyler Florence’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Ina Garten’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Crunchy Chicken Fajita Wraps w/ Habanero-Green Chile & Pepper Jack Cream

Crunchy Chicken Fajita Wraps w/ Habanero, Green Chile-Pepper Jack Cream
Crunchy Chicken Fajita Wraps w/ Habanero, Green Chile-Pepper Jack Cream

This is an easy, tasty dish I whipped up the other night that is a spin on Chicken Fajitas. The main difference being that these have a crunchy, toasted tortilla that you eat the Fajitas on – either flat like a pizza, rolled up like a burrito or wrap, or folded in half like a big taco. I kicked up the heat a little bit by adding some green chiles, hot Indian red pepper (which is like Cayenne but hotter!), sliced jalapenos, and made a spicy Habanero, Green Chile and Pepper Jack sour cream to give it some more flavor and heat. The dip mixes I bought from a company called Gourmet Creations at the Corn Hill Arts Festival Upstate NY. You can also purchase their seasonings online, or flavor the sour cream with anything you like – a regular onion dip or veggie dip mix would work too. What I love about the mixes from Gourmet Creations is that they are all gluten-free, and are handmade with all natural dried ingredients and they can be used not only for dips and sauces, but to use as spice rubs on fish, veggies, poultry and meat, and they make excellent herb butters, too. I bought about 10 different flavors from them – sooo good!

Now, I’m a total spice-head and LOVE spicy food so if you aren’t interested in making the Fajita Wraps hot, just omit the Indian or Cayenne Red pepper, hot sauce, jalapenos and serve with regular sour cream and cilantro. Another idea if you want a more grilled flavor, is you can grill the chicken and corn first and then add it to the sauteed peppers, onions, chiles and Fajita mix. You can even char the green chiles over a grill or gas flame if you want to get super fancy! This requires a little more time and effort but anything grilled adds a nice charred smoky flavor to the dish.

I recommend a Spanish or Mexican rice to go with the Fajitas, and a smashing Margarita to make it official and douse the flames. Enjoy.

Crunchy Chicken Fajita Wraps w/ Habanero Green Chile-Pepper Jack Cream

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1/2 large or 1 small-med sweet onion, sliced thin
  • 1 pound chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 packet of Fajita seasoning
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh or 1 can green chiles (mild)
  • 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen, cooked)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper (cayenne or hot Indian red pepper)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4-6 large tortillas (corn, whole wheat, flour - whatever you prefer)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 package Habanero-Chile dip mix
  • 1/2 package Monterey Jack dip mix
  • Dash of hot sauce, (optional, for garnish)
  • Cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute peppers and onions for about 5-6 minutes until soft and onions are translucent. Remove from skillet and set aside.
  2. Add additional tablespoon of oil to skillet and saute chicken until browned about 6-8 minutes. Add water and Fajita mix and stir together with chicken. Return sauteed peppers and onions to the same pan.
  3. Add green chiles, cooked corn, fresh ground black pepper, red pepper or cayenne and lower heat to a simmer. Cook ingredients for another 5-10 minutes on low to heat through, allowing sauce to thicken and flavors to blend together.
  4. Heat another large skillet over medium-high and add 1 teaspoon of oil or spray with cooking spray.
  5. Cook tortillas, one at a time in skillet for about 1-2 minutes, flipping each side, until crunchy and browned. You may also heat the tortillas up in a 400 degree oven for about 5-7 minutes or so if you prefer.
  6. Mix 1/2 package Habanero-Green Chile seasoning mix and 1/2 package Monterey Jack seasoning mix into a medium bowl with 1 cup of sour cream. You can also make the seasoned sour cream mix ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve (recommended as the flavors blend better the more they sit!). Another cool idea is to chop up some Chipotle peppers and add these with some Adobo sauce to the sour cream, or even just some extra taco seasoning, or pureed cilantro if you like a cooler creamy topping.
  7. Serve tortillas with Chicken Fajita mixture; top with Habanero-Green Chile & Pepper Jack cream, sliced jalapenos, a dash of hot sauce and chopped cilantro, if desired.
  8. You can roll these up like a burrito or wrap, put the Fajita mixture on top of a flat crunchy tortilla like a pizza or tostada, or fold it in half and eat like a big Chicken Taco! Any way you serve it, it's delicious! Enjoy.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/07/crunchy-chicken-fajita-wraps-w-habanero-green-chile-pepper-jack-cream/