Category Archives: Culinary Quests

Culinary Quest #6 – Pasta Marinara with Parmesan Panko Chicken

Chow!  It’s time for our weekly culinary quest!  Last week we cooked up cool couscous salad.  This week we travel to Italy for food so good all you’ll need to go with it is a nap, seriously.

One of my favorite things in the whole wide world of food is quality marinara.  However, I cannot stomach paying exorbitant restaurant prices for simple noodles and sauce.  On the other hand, I find store-bought, jarred sauce to be mass-produced tasting with undesirable ingredients lurking on the label.  So I set out on a quest to make it myself.

My husband says the same thing every time after this meal, I need a nap.  My teen son calls it a tranquilizer dart dinner for the same reason. 🙂

Two things to mentions about this recipe:  #1 – The sauce is thick.  That’s because, when serving a breaded meat like chicken with a runny sauce, the breading gets soggy.  Eww.  This thick sauce leaves the chicken alone and makes for a nice crunch of chicken with every bite.

#2 – Speaking of crunch, the reason why I cut the chicken into strips is the crunch to chicken ratio.  I could’ve left the chicken breast whole, but for one, that’s a lot of chicken!, and two, there isn’t much crunch.  Cutting it into strips makes the chicken go farther (yeah! economical!) and there is more panko to enjoy.  All this talk is making me hungry, so let’s get to it!

This recipe isn’t difficult to make.  Just know you’ll have 3 things cooking at the same time. 🙂

Pasta Marinara with Parmesan Panko Chicken

Serves 6-8

1#                           box thin spaghetti

4                              boneless/skinless chicken breasts

1/2c                       flour

2                            eggs

1box                      Italian Panko bread crumbs

1/4t                        black pepper

1t                            garlic powder (not garlic salt)

1/2c                       parmesan cheese; grated (or Romano)

2 x 28oz cans        petite diced tomatoes; slightly drained

12oz                       tomato paste

6                            fresh garlic cloves; crushed

1 bunch                  fresh basil; chopped

2t                            dried oregano

1/4t                        salt  (plus more for the pasta water)

4T                           olive oil (plus more for frying)

Sauce:

In a large skillet, empty both cans of tomatoes (slightly drained) & tomato paste.  Add 2T olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, oregano & basil.  Stir until blended.

Cook on medium, stirring to prevent scorching, until water from tomatoes cooks off and sauce thickens.  Let this simmer covered on low, stirring occasionally, while chicken and noodles are being prepared.

Chicken:

Pour flour into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.

Crack eggs in gallon Ziploc bag, mush the bag until mixed.

Pour box of Panko, parmesan cheese, pepper and garlic powder into another gallon Ziploc bag.  Shake together.

Rinse chicken under water.  Trim any fat.  Cut each chicken breast into 4 strips.

Coat the chicken fillets, one at a time: first in the flour, then the egg, then shake egg-coated chicken in Panko bag.

Place chicken on a lightly greased, foil covered 9×13 dish.

Bake @ 350 20 minutes until done.

Remove chicken and place in hot skillet (4-6 at a time) with olive oil.  Fry all sides using a Diavola press.  If you do not have a Diavola press, try using the bottom of a clean, weighty sauce pan.  The frying only takes a couple of minutes because the chicken is already cooked.

Pasta:

Cook box of spaghetti noodles al dente (10 min in boiling, salted water).  Drain, mix with 2T olive oil to keep noodles from sticking together.

On plate- layer noodles, then sauce, then Panko chicken on top.

Buon Appetito!

Here, the chicken is raw.  I put the chicken strips in a slightly greased 9×13 dish so they are close together and won’t dry out in the oven.

Just enough hot olive oil to fry

Almost done!

Time to enjoy!

Culinary Quest #5 – Couscous Salad

It’s warming up outside so we’re cooling off with another cold salad perfect for spring and summer.  This is my version of Dean & Deluca’s couscous salad.  Light and healthy, it hits the spot.

Kristi’s Couscous Salad

(serves 6-8)

1 box                     Israeli/pearl couscous (8.8oz)

1 bunch                 green onions, chopped small

1/4c                       almonds; slivered

1/4c                       pineapple tidbits

1/2c                       dried cranberries

1/4c                       pine nuts; toasted in a scant amount of olive oil

11oz                       mandarin oranges; packed in pear juice…drained

1t                            dried parsley

1                             sweet apple; finely diced

1 small carton         pomegranate seeds

3oz                         vinaigrette (see below)

Couscous Vinaigrette***

5T rice vinegar

6T fresh squeezed lemon juice (or orange juice, if preferred)

3T canola oil

2T granular sugar

¼t salt

Directions:

Cook couscous & drain.  While it’s hot, toss with vinaigrette.

Once couscous is room temperature, add remaining ingredients & toss.

Cover and chill until cold.

*** The vinaigrette makes 6oz, but 3oz is plenty for this salad.  Save the other 3oz for other salads, marinade, etc.

Culinary Quest #4 – Greek Chicken Salad

I have always dreamed of being a part of a huge Greek or Italian family.  You know, ten brothers and sisters and so many cousins you can’t name them all. (Okay, I’m exaggerating, but you get the point!)  And, I love Greek and Italian food!  Honestly, I think there must be someone in my ancestry who is one or the other, but we’ve yet to discover them.  So to get that big family feel, I love to cook Greek and Italain food.  Today…we’re going Greek!

Below is my version of Dean & Deluca’s salad that is oh so good!  Beware…this is not a quick prep.  It takes a little time, but every minute of labor rewards you with a dense, full-bodied flavor that zings your taste buds.  It’s not difficult at all, just prepping the the veggies takes a little time.

This salad is a hearty meal in itself, and only needs tea and a pita pocket to stuff it into!

The work pays it forward because you get 12 full servings out of this delectable dish!  If you’d like, you can half the ingredients for a smaller portion.  Either way, it’s fresh, healthy and totally savory & delicious.  My teenage son picked this, of all things, for his lunches this week.  Score one for a seasoned palette!

This salad is great to take to a picnic, work or block party.  Enjoy!

Kristi’s Chicken Greek Salad

(yields 12 cups)

Ingredients:  

4          Chicken breasts; cooked (w/salt & pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning), cooled & chopped

1c        Pepperoncini peppers; hulled & chopped

1 med  Red onion; chopped

10 oz    Sun-dried tomatoes; jarred in oil; drained & thinly sliced

3c        Artichoke hearts; drained & chopped

1c        Kalamata olives; pitted & diced

1          Cucumber; peeled, quartered & chopped

1T        Oregano

1c        Italian (a.k.a. flat) parsley; fresh, diced (about 1 bunch)

1          Lemon zest; whole large lemon

1c        Feta; crumbled

Feta vinaigrette (see below)

 

          Feta Vinaigrette

1/2c    Canola oil

4T        Rice vinegar

2T        Shallots; finely diced

1/8t     Black pepper

1t         Oregano

1t         Thyme

3/4c     Feta; reduced fat; crumbled

1oz       Lemon juice; fresh

2t         Lemon zest; fresh

1/8t     salt

2          garlic cloves; fresh & pressed

Directions: 

Bake seasoned chicken in preheated oven @ 350 for about 20min or until done.  Set aside to cool.

While chicken is cooking, prepare remaining ingredients (except vinaigrette) in a large bowl. (Tip – to hull the pepperoncini, simply pull on the stem and the entire middle should slide right out.)

Once chicken has cooled, dice and add to bowl.

Make vinaigrette and toss everything together.

Cover and marinate several hours or overnight before serving. Can be made a day ahead. Before serving, using a large spoon, stir it well so the vinaigrette is mixed well in the salad.  Serve chilled with pita bread or baguette.

Culinary Quest #3 – Lemon Orzo Salad

Dean & Deluca is one of my all-time favorite eateries.  They have incredible food – good food that’s good for you.  I love to treat my family, friends and myself there, however, I don’t always have the time nor the budget that comes with shopping and eating at this upscale joint (as much as I wish I could!). So, in order to enjoy the same great tastes at home, I began creating my own version of their dishes.

Once I nailed the lemon vinaigrette, I found it is a wonderful base for many dishes.  Sometimes we want a savory dressing without too many herbs because they can easily overpower the salad ingredients. This vinaigrette is light and flavorful, not too strong, and with just the right amount of zest.

Today we’re serving up…

Lemon Orzo Salad

(Serves 8)

16oz       orzo pasta – cooked al dente in salted water *do not overcook *

1             red pepper; finely diced

1/2 -1c   medium red onion; finely diced

1c           spinach leaves or field greens; chopped (measured after chopped)

1 1/2c    feta cheese; cubed

½-3/4c   Kalamata olives; pitted & finely diced (to taste)

Lemon vinaigrette (see below)

Directions:

While orzo is cooking, make the vinaigrette in a bowl or a bottle with a lid. Mix/shake vinaigrette until sugar is dissolved.

Drain orzo, then while it is hot (this is important!!) toss with the vinaigrette in a mixing bowl so the pasta soaks up the liquid while it cools. (It also avoids the vinaigrette pooling at the bottom of the bowl.) Toss every now and then to make sure liquid is evenly absorbing into the orzo.

Once the orzo has cooled to room temperature, mix in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Toss again before serving.

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/3c   plain rice vinegar

1/2c   fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3c   canola oil

1/4c   granular sugar

1/2t   salt

Enjoy it as an entree or side dish.  It’s a great way to beat the summer heat! ~ Kristi

Culinary Quest #2 – Garbanzo Bean Soup

When I was little, my mom used to treat my sister and me to a rare visit at an upscale Spanish restaurant. They had the best garbanzo bean soup and pumpernickel bread in the world!  My mom also loved their flan (I couldn’t get past its texture). Actually, those three things are all I knew they offered.  I didn’t even know they had a menu because she never asked for one. Why? Too pricey. I was an adult before I knew they had things like paella, seafood, and chicken & rice. That’s okay, because their soup and bread was the best.

After my husband and I got married, we moved into our one-bedroom apartment while working our way through college. I missed the taste of my childhood – including the garbanzo bean soup. So, I set out on a culinary quest to recreate it. After much experimenting, I did!

It’s super easy and freezes well.  Hope you like it, too.

Kristi’s Garbanzo Bean Soup

1 bag               dry garbanzo beans/chick peas (same thing)

1 large            onion (sweet); diced

1 bag               frozen (or fresh) mixed fresh pepper strips (red, green & yellow); diced 

2 pkgs            Turkey Polish Kielbasa links, fully cooked; sliced into bite-sized pieces (I use Butterball brand – no MSG)

2 boxes         chicken broth (I use Wolfgang Puck’s all natural stock) – 32oz each

1 box              beef broth (Wolfgang’s) – 32oz

1T                    dried parsley

Directions:

1. Soak beans for 3 hrs in a large bowl of water (enough to cover beans while absorbed)

2. Drain beans & discard water

3. Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook for 5hrs on low then 2 hrs on high (or until beans are soft and onions are translucent)

<You can also soak the beans overnight and reduce cooking time to 5 hrs on low>


Culinary Quest #1 – Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Yeah!  It’s Saturday!  A day for exhaling, maybe sleeping in a little, no make-up, running shoes, and hopefully doing something you really enjoy amid projects and work.  Two things I enjoy are baking and cooking – depending on if my mood is sweet or savory or both!

I was in the grocery store yesterday and a huge display of strawberries caught my eye and smelled so good.  It’s great when produce hits its peak season because the price drops!

Every spring, my family looks forward to a special treat – homemade strawberry shortcake trifle.  I just couldn’t resist those small, red juicy treats begging me to take them home yesterday, so trifle here we come!  Thought I’d share our version of this classic spring & summer dessert:

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle (serves about 12)

5           quarts of strawberries; washed, de-stemmed & cut in half (reserve the biggest, best berry uncut w/stem)

3/4c    sugar

3T        flour or cornstarch

1           angel food cake or individual sponge cakes

12oz   whipped topping

*************************************************

Directions for the sauce:

Place 2 quarts of berries in a sauce pot, covered, on low/med heat until they begin to boil. Stir occasionally.

Once they begin to boil, turn heat to low, remove lid, and cook until they have thickened a bit.

Remove from heat and beat the flour or cornstarch into the cooked berries with an electric mixer until smooth.

Put the sauce pot back on low heat and cook until thick. Stir occasionally.

Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold (at least an hour).

Assembly:

Cut the angel food cake (or sponge cakes) into cubes.

Layer 1/3 of the cake in the bottom of a trifle bowl or large clear serving bowl.

Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the cake.

Add 1/2 of remaining fresh, halved strawberries.

Add 6oz of whipped topping in large dollops.

Repeat layers, finishing with whipped topping.

Taking the whole, reserved berry, cut the berry in slices – not all the way through – just to the stem.  Fan the berry’s slices on top.

The sauce is also great on pancakes, waffles, over ice cream, etc.  Frozen strawberries can be used for the sauce if fresh is not available.  Other berries can be substituted.

Have a sweet day!
Kristi